Computer Sciences Corp Third Quarter Earnings Sneak Peek

S&P 500 (NYSE:SPY) component Computer Sciences Corp (NYSE:CSC) will unveil its latest earnings on Wednesday, February 8, 2012. Computer Sciences Corporation offers information technology and professional services to commercial and government markets, specializing in the application of complex IT problems.

Computer Sciences Corp Earnings Preview Cheat Sheet

Wall St. Earnings Expectations: The average estimate of analysts is for profit of 57 cents per share, a decline of 63% from the company’s actual earnings for the same quarter a year ago. During the past three months, the average estimate has moved down from $1.17. Between one and three months ago, the average estimate moved down. It has been unchanged at 57 cents during the last month. For the year, analysts are projecting net income of $3.68 per share, a decline of 18.4% from last year.

Past Earnings Performance: The company beat estimates last quarter after falling short in the prior two. In the second quarter, the company reported profit of 94 cents per share versus a mean estimate of net income of 68 cents per share. In the first quarter, the company missed estimates by 6 cents.

A Look Back: In the second quarter, the company swung to a loss of $2.88 billion ($18.56 a share) from a profit of $184 million ($1.18) a year earlier, but beat analyst expectations. Revenue fell 0.2% to $3.97 billion from $3.98 billion.

Key Stats:

Computer’s loss in the latest quarter followed profits in the previous three quarters. The company reported a profit of $183 million in the first quarter, a profit of $171 million in the fourth of the last fiscal year and a profit of $242 million in the third quarter of the last fiscal year.

Revenue fell in the second quarter after seeing a rise the quarter before. In the first quarter, revenue rose 2.3%.

Stock Price Performance: During November 4, 2011 to February 2, 2012, the stock price had fallen $4.90 (-15.2%) from $32.16 to $27.26. The stock price saw one of its best stretches over the last year between January 13, 2012 and January 23, 2012 when shares rose for six-straight days, rising 8.9% (+$2.14) over that span. It saw one of its worst periods between July 22, 2011 and August 4, 2011 when shares fell for 10-straight days, falling 13.3% (-$4.96) over that span.